Figure 7.

The ROS/p38 MAPK/Egr-1 pathway participates in the process of TIM-4-mediated TGF-β1 upregulation in macrophages. (A, B) ROS levels in OE TIM-4 THP-1 cells and control cells were measured by the fluorescence probe DCFH-DA; (C-F) Normal or OE TIM-4 THP-1 cells were treated with or without a ROS inhibitor (YCG063), and then the expression of Egr-1, phospho-p38, and TGF-β1 were analyzed by Western blot analysis; (G-I) To confirm the role of p38 MAPK in the ROS-dependent signaling pathway, normal or OE TIM-4 THP-1 cells were treated with a p38 inhibitor (SB203580). Then the expression of Egr-1 and TGF-β1 were analyzed by Western blot analysis. The intensity values of the bands were normalized to GAPDH expression. For each group, n=3; Representative immunofluorescence images are shown at 400× magnification. Bars show the mean ± SD. *P<0.05, **P<0.01,***P<0.001. ns, no significance.